The Rhodesian Ridgeback, the hunting dog
of Africa, has emerged from relative obscurity to earn a reputation as an impressive show dog, and a loyal companion.(video) Originally bred to accompany big game hunters, the Ridgeback was also highly-prized as a guard dog, keeping out intruders from farms and plantations. Today, the Ridgeback, a strong and agile dog, retains its fiercely loyal character, and, with the right training, is a companion dog par excellence.

These amazing and regal creatures are courageous enough to face off the fearsome African lion, fast enough to bring down the swift gazelle at full gallop, strong enough to trek many miles across hostile terrain and gentle enough to be the perfect playmate to even the youngest children.Cavallo Creek Farm has a phenomenal breeding program of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Ridgbacks are an elite and exclusive breed; we intend to keep it that way. Our Ridgbacks are our family. We are very particular in our selection process of where the forever homes of our pups will be and who will be their family. We are in the business of making families complete, one puppy breath at a time.

Breeding Ridgebacks happened really by chance for us.

You see, for those of you Ridgeback owners, you already know that you can't have just one Ridgie, you need at least a pair, or maybe even more! Or at least that is how it started for us. Due to an unfortunate bout of Parvo, I lost my male puppy, Duke. I was devastated! So what does a grieving mother do? Well, try to clone him of course. So that is what happened, see, I tried to clone my puppy and then could keep just one puppy. This is how the original pack started. The rest of the puppies were then sold, then the phone rang off the hook for other people wanting "our" line of dogs. We had successfully bred a large, gentle giant that made many families so very happy. Now of course, my addiction continues. Now I have to have one of every color, size, shape, etc. We have a lot of land and our kids love to explore it. The puppies have become sort a way to pacify my addiction. See, I get to enjoy putting the DNA together, then enjoying the little guys during their cutest stage, then guess what??? They go on to destroy someone elses shoes for the next year.

We are a "turn'key" operation, that means, when you include one of our guys into your family, you will not have to do anything but love them and maintain their health with your veterinarian. We do all the work for you.

By the time you get your pup, it will already have been microchipped with your information logged and will have been personally registered with AKC. You will receive both documents directly from AKC. This way you are not filling up your home with files of documents with a "I need to get this done" sticky note. We do it for you.

If you are looking to get your first RR, be aware. They are extremely intelligent and have a great memory. You have only
one shot to assert your dominance and be the alpha. After the initial initiation, you have the most loyal companion you can ever imagine. As long as you remember that little secret, they are the easiest dogs in the world to train, but remember, if you let them get away with anything, they will remember! Animal Planet says it well in their video.

We have 5 stud dogs available for breeding to qualified females and occasional puppies for sale. In late 2013 we imported our latest male from South Africa that we have integrated into our breeding program to offer a variety in our pack. Our dogs, with the patriarch males lineage originating in 1922 from Zimbabwe, Africa, are bred for disposition, personality and agility. Although many will grow up to be too large for show standards, we cater to those that love big strong, regal companions for their families, homes, ranches and farms. We breed primarily for temperament and disposition. If a dog doesn't fit into our pack and either doesn't blend well with the pack or our family, we have utilized a multitude of avenues for re-homing these dogs and have either found local homes for them or have donated them to Ridgeback Rescue where they have the opportunity to find a better suited home. Our dogs MUST be tolerant of small children and respectful of people and each other in the pack. We are breeding trustworthy and protective family dogs.

We started off breeding a large breed Ridgeback, but with the addition of our African male to our pack we now have the option of offering a smaller Ridgback to those wanting a standard size dog. Females will generally be 80-130 pounds and males 90-140 pounds depending on the bloodline and particular dog. Our dogs are our "family". We only utilize kennels during breeding and whelping season. Depending on the time of year, our 13 adult Ridgebacks run free in a pack protecting our oak studded home and our family on our modest California ranch as well as on our California winery property, all contained by the highly recommended Pet Safe Containment System. Certainly you will be greeted at the gate if you should make a visit out to one of our farms.
All of our pups have had their dew claws removed, are AKC registered, vaccinated, wormed, microchipped, have a 2 year breeder health guarantee against congenital disorders, are guaranteed healthy with a veterinarian health certificate and tested for dermoid sinus and hip displasia prior to ever leaving our home. Our dogs are making families happy in homes all over the country and the world; from California to Florida, Canada to Portugal, Washington DC to Puerto Rico and Cancun, Mexico. We ship to most US airports, please inquire for international shipment. Cavallo Creek Ridgebacks encourages responsible pet ownership and unless you plan to show or breed your dog with written breeder authorization, we ask that you sign a spay and neuter contract, this will include the spay and neuter rebate that you will receive once the procedure is completed within 2 years of age. Please ask about our spay and neuter rebate program and check with your local animal shelter for low cost vaccinations and spaying or neutering. We suggest allowing your pup to grow for about a year prior to getting them spayed or neutered. Often times this is not possible considering housing during either their first heat cycle or if a male, problems that may come with puberty. Most often vets will encourage you to spay or neuter them when you give them their first rabies shot, which is usually between 4 and 6 months of age.Regardless of when you spay or neuter, keep in mind that if you have a female, it is imperative that they remain absolutely contained if they have a heat cycle.

We start our pups on a healthy diet of homemade food with a combined kibble BLUE Large Breed Puppy to limit potential bone and ligament problems associated with growing too fast.. a Our Momma dogs are on a diet of BLUE Large Breed Dog Food and 4Health Puppy. I am a big label reader and found these to be of the best and best value for product. I like that BLUE is involved in pet cancer research. We have our food delivered through online specials, most recently we have found CHEWY.com to have the best prices with free delivery. Our most recent fun project was the recent filming for the Purina One dog food commercial where the studios used 8 of our dogs to film the growth sequence of a Ridgeback.

Please visit our Cavallo Creek Ridgebacks facebook group page where you will find families of previous litters loving their pets and keeping us updated with current events.

Please click here for an application for email us and we will reply with our updated version. Otherwise, here are various links to our older version of an application. We prefer the Google forms version, but if that is not working for you, then. please fill out an online application in either Word and email to Cavallo Creek or print and send thepdf version to Cavallo Creek to the address on the application. If you are unable to download the file from the website, please email for an application if you would like to add one of these precious canines to your family. Once your application has been received and approved, you can send your $200 deposit by check to our office, or via PayPal to email address cavallocreek@usa.com. Pups are priced individually by an unbiased, outside source where pups are scored independently accruing a score bases on color, coat, ridges, confirmation, head, ears and personality at 6 weeks of age. Usually pups are available for selection at 6 1/2 weeks and able to go to new homes at 8 weeks of age. Prices which include the breeder health guarantee, vet health check, current de-wormings and vaccinations, a spay/neuter rebate, all AKC either limited or for show quality full registration, pedigree and microchipping fees, usually range between $1,000-$2,200 for ridged pups, $2,200-$3,000 for show quality pups, $750-$1,000 for ridgeless pups and up to $4,000 for "pick of the litter".

Recently we have started a new "master list" as opposed to individual lists for each litter. It became too confining for our puppy parents. The list works in seniority order from when your deposit is received or postdated if mailed. Most people are looking for a specific type of pup, so just because there are many on the list doesn't necessarily mean you will not get one of your first 3 choices. We wanted to make sure everyone absolutely brought home the pup that they felt best would fit into their family. Therefore, for those on our list, you have the option to "take or pass". When you pass, you will continue onto the following list until you choose your pup. We have color coded preferences by male, female, either. This is merely a guideline for what people are interested in and will not lock you into that particular sex. Cavallo Creek as a breeder is always attempting to create the perfect "recipe", so we reserve the right to keep up to two pups per litter If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please email us with a completed application tocavallocreek@usa.com. We do follow up on your references as part of our application process, so please advise that we may be calling. We try to process applications within 72 hours of receipt.